Tuesday, October 26, 2010

I read more than those books this week. That’s not always the case, but often it is. I don’t review books I found less than memorable or books I found downright bad, and from time to time I feel compelled to remind you of that. If I do mention a book, it’s like putting a stamp on it that says: IN MY OPINION, THIS BOOK IS NOT A WASTE OF YOUR TIME OR YOUR MONEY.
I’ve talked about Stacia Kane’s “Downside” books here before, and the most recent, City of Ghosts, is the third continuance of the adventures of Chess (Cesaria), a debunking witch in a society where the church (not the Christian church) is the dominating factor. In fact, it’s the government. Though Chess hardly toes the church line – she is a drug addict, which the church condemns – she is touchingly determined to try to do good and to avoid killing people. She is also in love with a man who despises her, at least in part. Does this make the books sound challenging? In some respects, yes, but the character has grown with every book. I find that every now and then I’d like a more comprehensive explanation of some of the systems operating in Chess’s world, but for the most part I’ve found this series very well written and the world incredibly vivid.
Kalayna Price is new to me, and I am only a third of the way through Grave Witch. Alex Craft, Price’s heroine, is a down-on-her-luck magic P.I., who needs a job in the worst possible way. She’s also the daughter of a very high-up politician, though the media haven’t discovered this . . . which, frankly, I find unbelievable. However, Alex is a likeable and capable grave witch, and the plot is unfolding in an unexpected way.

You wouldn’t think the plot of Outlander could be condensed so neatly into a graphic novel, but it has been. The Exile put the some of the plot that we only learn about later into a linear arrangement, which made the story seem new! And the drawing is really interesting. Clair’s bosom does seem to change sizes, as does Jamie’s jawline, but I enjoyed every page. A lot of fun for fans of the series . . . and who isn’t?